Courtesy of Robert Bank

3 SIMPLESTEPSTOHELPREACH YOURFINANCIALGOALS Your financial goals are within reach! Following these three simple steps will bring them closer and help you determine what it is you want out of life. 1. Learn what’s behind your financial decisions. How and where we spend our money is strongly tied with what we value in life. Perhaps you enjoy spending money on vacations, but have yet to start that retirement savings plan. Sit down by yourself, with your partner, even with your whole family and talk about what you value in life. Then, write it down and stick it on the fridge or on a post-it on your desk, which will help remind you of these values. That being said, don’t be afraid to change them as time goes on! We are all constantly changing and evolving and our values reflect that. 2. Know where your money comes from – and where it goes. Most of us are pretty good at keeping track of money coming in. But to truly take charge of your finances, you need to know where every penny goes. Jot down everything you think you spent money on last month. Then, login to your online bank account and see what you actually spent. Are there “spending leaks” – meaning money slipping out that you were unaware of? Spending leaks can include eating out more often than you realized or making impulse purchases. Change your habits to plug these leaks, reminding yourself you are making these changes to create the financial future you want. 3. Set your financial goals. Now that you know what you value in life and where your money is going, you can set your short and long term financial goals. Just as you did with your values, write your goals down and look at them often to help remind yourself what it is you want out of life. Perhaps you want to go on a nice vacation next year. Or head back to school in five years. Or build your dream home in ten years. Write these goals down, then start working on a plan to move yourself towards them. Make sure you prioritize the most important goals first, and be willing to let your goals change as your values do. It’s your life – you should live it the way you want to.

Robert Bank 250.756.7777

rob@robbank.ca | www.robbank.ca

WHICHFAMOUSARTISTWAS ALSOAN INTERIORDESIGNER? Most people know Francis Bacon as the British figurative painter known for his raw and emotionally charged imagery. However, he also spent time as an interior designer. Before he established himself as a painter, Bacon worked as a designer in London. And though the artist is famous for destroying many of his works, a few pieces remain. Art experts believe the surviving pieces, many found in private collections, give insight into Bacon’s later works, which often featured interior settings. ECO-FRIENDLYDOGHOUSE Even man’s best friend can get in on the eco-friendly movement. A California-based design firm has created an eco-conscious doghouse made with sustainable materials. With a carpeted ramp that leads up to a green roof and a motion-activated faucet and irrigation system, the resident gets useable indoor and outdoor space. Plus, when the weather heats up, the canine inhabitant can cool down with a solar powered fan. Whoever

gets to live in this house is one lucky dog! Photo courtesy of www.greenmatters.com